There is nothing more gratifying than going near our coffee machine, taking our pod or capsule and enjoying our espresso. But sometimes it happens that it has a disgusting taste to say the least, that's why among the ordinary maintenance to do to the coffee machine for an always excellent espresso is descaling.

At the end of this article I will explain how to do descaling at home independently with both household and professional products.

Here are 5 good reasons to descale your coffee machine.

1. The first reason is undoubtedly its mechanical operation , as the internal ducts where the hot water passes are very narrow and can therefore easily become obstructed and therefore block the delivery of water and consequently of the coffee.
2. Another good reason to descale in a preventive manner is economic , as a descaling done with household products costs a few cents of product but can save you a lot of money as in some cases the parts obstructed by limescale calcify so solidly that it is necessary to replace entire components and consequently incur a cost that is certainly more expensive compared to a descaling costing a few cents.
3. Another point to take into consideration is maintenance over time , that is, trying to keep our coffee machine efficient for at least 5/6 years by trying to prevent the most recurring problems and one of the first is certainly limescale. So our advice is without a doubt to do these preventive interventions for correct functioning and maintenance over time.
4. Another problem resulting from the lack of descaling and consequently the obstruction of the water pipes is the wear of the pump, which is the organ responsible for pushing the water from the container compartment, to the boiler, passing through the pod/capsule and finally into the cup. In fact, obstructing the passages will make the pump work at double its normal speed with the risk of wearing out prematurely.
5. After having spoken to you about the technical and economic reasons, it is equally important to say that if the first 4 points are neglected, beyond the problems that they may cause, all this turns into a delivery of over-extracted, bitter and unpleasant coffee to the palate regardless of the type of coffee machine or the brand of pods or capsules. In fact, if we do not descale periodically, obstructions will be created that will reduce the flow of water and consequently the machine will take longer to deliver the coffee. You should know in fact that the longer the water remains in contact with the coffee during the delivery phase, the more it will bring with it the bitter part during the extraction phase. An optimal delivery is around 7/8 seconds from the moment the coffee begins to come out in the cup.

How to descale your coffee machine at home.

We will find out how to descale at home with household products and dedicated products.

There are 2 ways to descale your machine at home* , with household products (economical even if not specific) or with dedicated products (slightly more expensive but certainly more efficient and designed not to compromise normal functioning).

FIRST METHOD - HOMEMADE PRODUCT

Well for this procedure all you will need is some white cooking vinegar which you probably already have at home.

1. Empty the water container compartment (where present) and pour in 3 glasses of vinegar.
2. Close the tank with its lid and shake (this procedure will allow you to clean the loading tank because limescale builds up there too , in fact you will surely notice a white patina and white rings along the circumference of the tank).
3. Empty the tank and rinse .
4. Pour another 3 cups of white vinegar into the container and reattach it to the coffee machine.
5. Turn on the coffee machine by making it dispense vinegar without the pod/capsule inserted, keeping the brewing group closed.
6. After all the vinegar has been drawn off, remove the loading tank from the coffee machine again , rinse thoroughly and fill it halfway with clear water.
7. Place the tank full of clear water in the machine's housing and operate it by drawing at least 2 glasses of water.
8. Make a test coffee to remove any vinegar residue and you're done.

With 5 minutes of your time and a few cents of expense you will have contributed to the maintenance of your coffee machine and its correct functioning.

SECOND METHOD - SPECIFIC DECALCIFYING PRODUCT

This is the most recommended procedure since specific descaling products are designed and developed to be active only on limescale without compromising other parts such as gaskets and delicate parts.

Now we will guide you step by step on how to use these products.

nb Always read the label on the back of these products before using them, and make sure you have expelled all the descaling product from the machine circuit to avoid accidental ingestion.

This guide will help you understand in general terms how to perform a correct descaling but it can vary from machine to machine so always read the use and maintenance manual of your machine first and then of the descaling product you will use. Pronto Caffè and ITALCIALDE.COM are in no way responsible for incorrect use of the products as these are only suggestions.

Let's get a good descaler that you will find both on our site and in specialized coffee or household appliance stores. We could find it both liquid ready to use and granular to dissolve in water, in the second case after having diluted it make sure that it has dissolved completely to avoid it blocking in the circuit.

1. Empty the water container compartment (where present) and pour in approximately 250 ml of product.
2. Close the tank with its lid and shake (this procedure will allow you to clean the loading tank because limescale builds up there too, in fact you will surely notice a white patina and white rings along the circumference of the tank).
3. Empty the tank and rinse thoroughly.
4. Pour another 250 ml. into the tank and reattach it to the coffee machine.
5. Operate the coffee machine by making it draw the descaler without the pod/capsule inserted, keeping the dispensing group closed.
6. After having drawn all the product, remove the loading tank from the coffee machine again , rinse thoroughly and fill halfway with clear water.
7. Place the tank full of clear water in the machine's housing and operate it by drawing at least 2 glasses of water.
8. Remove the tank again, empty and rinse the tank thoroughly and fill it halfway with clear water.
9. Place the tank full of clear water in the machine's housing and operate it by drawing at least 2 glasses of water.
10. Make a test coffee to remove any residue and you're done.

Both procedures are valid , of course it depends on how much limescale has formed over time inside the coffee machine and on the model.

These procedures are particularly recommended for the Didiesse Frog, Didiesse Didì Faber Slot, Faber pro Deluxe, Faber mini Slot, Lollina, Aroma Plus, Aroma X, Aroma Iconica, Essse S.12, Essse S.20, Nespresso Krups, Lavazza a modo mio Jolie, Lavazza a modo mio Tiny, Lavazza a modo mio Minù, Mokador Tata, Mokador Diva, Spinel Tour, Spinel Ciao, Spinel Pinocchio, La Piccola Sara, La Piccola Inox coffee machines.